Typogenetics: An Artificial Genetic System

Cellular automata are now used to model various natural phenomena. In particular, they provide a logical universe in which artificial cells can be embedded in the form of propagating virtual automata. In this paper, we propose a molecular automaton which is an attempt to implement the "molecular logic of the living state" in an artificial biochemistry. This automaton is an artificial genetic system composed of two classes of interacting artificial molecules. It was shown to be self-replicating and to possess features that are analogous to those of the postulated prebiotic molecular systems.